Notching tool of punch-out type



June 4, 1963 J. POLAYES 3,091,853

NOTCHING TOOL 0F PUNCH-OUT TYPE Filed Feb. 14, 1962 fig INVENTOR.

jag/r Rig/e5 United States Patent Ofiice 3,@l,853- Patented June 4, 1963 3,091,853 NOTCHING TOOL F PUNCH-OUT TYPE Jack Polayes, Westport, Conn, assignor to The Bar-Plate Manufacturing (30., Milford, Comm, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Feb. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 173,253 6 Claims. (ill. 30-229) The present invention relates generally to a notching tool, and more particularly to a notching tool of punch out type.

Various manufacturing operations require the cutting of a multiplicity of blanks from a single stock sheet. It is frequently desirable that the cut-out blanks remain connected in the sheet so that they may conveniently be shipped and stocked in the original stock sheet form for their subsequent separation therefrom as needed or desired. To this end, the edges of dies for simultaneously blanking a multiplicity of blanks from a stock sheet are customarily notched at intervals so as to leave between adjacent cut-out blanks uncut lines or connectors at which the blanks may readily be separated whenever desired. Heretofore, it was quite common to use a hammer and chisel to form the notches in the blanking die edges. However, this method provides no effective control over the Width, depth or location of the notch and, in addition, frequently causes the formation of undesirable bur-rs at the notch. Attempts have also been made to utilize hand-operated grinding wheels for this purpose. However, the grinding method is not much better than the hammer and chisel method since it also lack-s control over width, depth and location of the notches.

in view of the foregoing, it is an object of the pres ent invention to obviate the disadvantages and objections inherent in the prior art devices and methods for notching blanking die edges or other elements.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a highly efiicient tool of punch and die type for notching a blanking die edge or the like which is simple to operate and provides highly accurate results.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a tool of this type which has also provisions to effect accurate predetermined spacing between successively formed notches.

Other objects and advantages will appear to those skilled in the art from the following, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawings, in which certain modes of carrying out the present invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a notching tool pursuant [to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the tool;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section through the tool as taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the tool at the completion of a notching operation; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section through the tool as taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4, and also embodying a modification of the invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 4, there is shown a notching tool pursuant to the present invention. Said tool comprises a pair of cooperating arms 12 and 14 which are pivotally inter-connected at 16. It will be noted that the pivot 16 is closer to the adjacent ends 18 and 20 of arms 12 and 14 than to the other ends 22 and 24 thereof. It will be apparent that when the arm ends 22 and 24 are moved apart, the other arm ends 18 and 20, which serve as die blocks, are moved closer together, and said die blocks are moved apart on moving the arm ends 22 and 24 closer together. The extent of separation of the arm ends 22 and 24 may be adjusted by means of a stud 26 with a threaded head 28- which is threadedly received in arm 12, with the stud 26 extending toward an abutment 27 on the other arm 14.

As here shown, the arms 12 and 14 are adapted for manual operation, and in this connection provision is made for the handles or grips 3t and 32. The grips and arms are formed of suitable material, preferably highg-rade steel. The grips 30' and 32 are pivotally interconnected, as at 34, between the respective ends thereof. Grip 30 is also pivotally connected to arm 12, as at 36, and grip 32 is pivotally connected to arm 14, as at 38'. It will be noted that pivot 34 is closer to the pivoted ends of the grips 30' and 32 than to the free ends thereof so as to provide for relatively large leverage for operating the arms 12 and 14. Similarly, the arms 12 and 14 have relatively large leverage for moving the die blocks 18 and 20 thereof. These long operating leverages of the grips 30, 32 and arms 12, 14 require but little force for their operation. A compression spring 40 is interposed between the hand grips 3t and 32 to urge them as Well as the die blocks 18 and 20 on the arms 12 and 14 apart. While in the present embodiment the arms 12 and 14 are operated by the manual grips 30 and 32, it will be understood that it is within the scope of the present invention to provide any suitable well known means to effect operation of said arms.

The die blocks 18 and 20 are provided with companion punch and die elements formed by die plates 42 and 44, respectively, secured thereto at their rear surfaces by screws 46. Said plates 42 and 44 have front surfaces 48 and '50, respectively and opposing end surfaces 52 and 54, respectively. Die plate 44 is provided on its front surface 56 with forwardly extending die formations 56 and 58 having faces 60 and 62, respectively, which are continuous with the end surface 54 of plate 44. Said die formations are spaced apart to form a die aperture or opening 63 of predetermined desired notch shape and size. Die plate 42 is provided on its front surface 48 with a forwardly extending punch formation 64 which projects beyond the end surface 52 of plate 42 for its projectability into the die aperture 63. It will be understood that the punch 64 will enter or mate with the die aperture 63 (FIGS. 4 and 5) on rocking the arms 12 and 14 for closing movement of the die plates 42 and 44 thereon. Die plate 44 is provided on the end surface 54 thereof with spaced lug projections 63 and 70* which serve as a guide for the die plate 42, the latter moving between said lug formations in its opening and closing movements. Said lug projections 68 and 70 have front faces 72 and 74, respectively, which are continuous with the front surface 50 of die plate 44. It will be noted from FIG. 3 that the front faces 72 and 74 of the spaced lug projections 68 and 70 serve as rest surfaces of the tool on a side edge of work to be notched, such work being here shown as an exemplary cutting blade or element 76 on a die plate 78.

In operation, the tool It) in its open condition is placed with its rest surfaces 72 and 74 on the edge of the exemplary cutting blade 76, as shown in FIG. 3, where upon the grips 30' and 32 are pressed together until punch 64 will enter the die aperture 63, thereby punching a conforming notch 11 in the cutting blade 76, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown a modification for obtaining predetermined spaced intervals between notches in the cutting blade 76. For this purpose a rod 80 is forced into the sleeve-like pivot element 16 until the enlarged head 82 on the rod abuts one end of this pivot element as shown. An adjustable spacing element or finger 84 is provided on the rod 80. Said element 84 is 3 freely movable on the rod 80 into any adjusted position thereon and is then releasably locked thereto by a set screw 86. The element is at its lower end provided with a tooth formation 88 which form-fits a notch n that has previously been cut in the blade 76 by the same tool. Thus, when the spacing member 8 4 has been locked on the rod 80 in properly adjusted position for a desired spacing of successive notches n, the tooth formation 88 is inserted in a notch 11 cut with the tool 10 for cutting the next notch at the proper spacing from the previously cut notch.

The invention may be carried out in other specific Ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics'of the invention, and

forward die formations having faces continuous with said end surface thereof and being spaced apart to define a die opening of predetermined notch shape and size, the other plate having on its front surface a forward punch formation projecting beyond'said end surface thereof, and mating with said die opening on closing said die blocks by rocking said arms, and said one plate having -'on said end surface thereof spaced lug projections between which said other-plate is guided during the opening and closing of said die blocks, withsaid lug projections having front faces continuous with said front surface of said one plate and defining rests for a side edge of work to be-notched; and means provided at said other arm ends 4 for rocking said arms to open and close said die blocks.

2. A tool as set forth in claim 1, which further oomprises means for adjusting the extent of movement of said die blocks in opening direction.

3. A tool as set forth in claim 2, in which said adjusting means is a rod extending from one of said arms into the path of the other arm and having a head threadedly received in said one arm for adjustability of said rod toward and away from said other arm.

4. A tool as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises a spacing rod mounted on said arms and extending laterally therefrom; and a finger element depending from said rod and provided with a tooth formation complementary to said notch whereby, with said tooth formation engaged in a previously provided notch in said work edge, said punch and die formations will be positioned ,at said work edge laterally from said previously provided notch in accordance with the lateral distance between said finger element and punch and die formations. 5. A tool as set forth in claim 4, in which said arms are pivotally connected by a tuhular pivot element, and said rod is r'emovably mounted-in said pivot element and extends therefrom. V

6. A tool as set forth in claim 5, in which said finger element is adjustable on said rod lengthwise thereof and .its tooth formation is spaced from said rod a distance vL equal to that between said tubular element and said punch and die formations on said plates.

References Cited in the'file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 568,242 Fay Sept. 22, 1896 946,414 Wikander Jan. 11, 1910 1,450,795 Dohe Apr. 3, 1923 2,566,434 Toth et al. Sept. 4, 1951 I; FOREIGN PATENTS 29,848 Switzerland June 13, 1904 670,574 France Nov. 30, 1929 

1. A TOOL FOR NOTCHING A SIDE EDGE OF WORK, COMPRISING TWO ARMS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED INTERMEDIATE THEIR ENDS AND FORMING AT ONE END OPPOSITELY MOVABLE DIE BLOCKS; DIE PLATES CARRIED AT THEIR REAR BY SAID DIE BLOCKS, RESPECTIVELY, AND HAVING FRONT SURFACES AND OPPOSING END SURFACES, ONE OF SAID PLATES BEING PROVIDED ON ITS FRONT SURFACE WITH FORWARD DIE FORMATIONS HAVING FACES CONTINUOUS WITH SAID END SURFACE THEREOF AND BEING SPACED APART TO DEFINE A DIE OPENING OF PREDETERMINED NOTCH SHAPE AND SIZE, THE OTHER PLATE HAVING ON ITS FRONT SURFACE A FORWARD PUNCH FORMATION PROJECTING BEYOND SAID END SURFACE THEREOF, AND MATING WITH SAID DIE OPENING ON CLOSING SAID DIE BLOCKS BY ROCKING SAID ARMS, AND SAID ONE PLATE HAVING ON SAID END SURFACE THEREOF SPACED LUG PROJECTIONS BETWEEN WHICH SAID OTHER PLATE IS GUIDED DURING THE OPENING AND CLOSING OF SAID DIE BLOCKS, WITH SAID LUG PROJECTIONS HAVING FRONT FACES CONTINUOUS WITH SAID FRONT SURFACE OF SAID ONE PLATE AND DEFINING RESTS FOR A SIDE EDGE OF WORK TOBE-NOTCHED; AND MEANS PROVIDED AT SAID OTHER ARM ENDS FOR ROCKING SAID ARMS TO OPEN AND CLOSE SAID DIE BLOCKS. 